Chapter 349： Merchant rally (bottom)

"Bo... Lord Earl!"

Arnold saluted and greeted carefully, suddenly an ominous premonition rose in his heart.

Colin came to the Weber Knight, patted him on the shoulder with a smile, and said:

"Knight Weber, I didn't expect you to have so many merchant friends in the North!"

"Actually... Actually, I was only invited by Mr. Arnold to come to the party, and I didn't know anyone else." The Webber Knight responded stiffly.

He suddenly realized that he was probably being used by Arnold, and he also underestimated the importance Colin attached to this northern merchant gathering.

During the time when he arrived in the North, the Webber Knights felt the strength of Colin's power more and more. Unlike the Royal Dragon City, it was completely Colin's home court.

Sebastian Archon’s warning resurfaced again, and the Webber Knight finally made up his mind to get out of this quagmire.

"Master Earl, it happened to me that there is still an urgent matter to deal with, so please allow me to say goodbye!"

Colin looked at Knight Webber with a smile, and was shocked when he saw the other party. He couldn't help feeling a little regretful, but he didn't embarrass the other party, but nodded.

The Weber knight was pardoned, and he hurried away without looking at Arnold who was hesitant to speak.

The atmosphere in the pub suddenly changed.

The merchants saw some clues from the embarrassed escape of the Webb Knight, and immediately realized that Arnold did not really get the support of the St. Hild family.

At least, the true power of the St. Hild family, Count Anglia, is not on Arnold's side.

Arnold is also in a state of confusion at the moment, not knowing what to do.

In fact, he did not fail to consider Colin's attitude.

As a large businessman who has been standing in the northern business community for decades, Arnold is certainly well aware of the changes in the situation in the northern border.

Colin's rise was so rapid that many people were caught off guard, but Arnold had noticed early on the upstart in the north, who was appreciated by the Duke of St. Hild and the Marquis of Garcia.

It's just that the two things of the previous troll empire's trade terms and the peaceful suppression of food prices made Colin unconsciously stand on the opposite side of the major merchants in the north.

Arnold also gritted his teeth at Colin for a while, and hated him for breaking his own fortune.

However, after Vera succeeded in inheriting the Duke of the North, especially the bow of the Sebastian Archon, Arnold had to recognize the reality and began to take the initiative to move closer to Colin.

He first gave Colin a pair of expensive enchanted armor through the Archon of Sebastian as a test.

The result is very good.

Colin accepted the armor and wore it many times in public.

So, Arnold took it lightly, thinking that Colin had no malice towards the North Wind Chamber of Commerce.

Who knows, the other party suddenly came uninvited today, and he was still looking menacing, so Arnold was a bit blinded.

"Mr. Arnold." At this moment, Colin turned around and looked at Arnold who was standing on the side with a smile, "I am uninvited this time, and I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not! It is an honor for you to visit the Butter Tavern!" Arnold felt bitter, but on the surface he could only pretend to be flattered.

Colin smiled faintly, and then replied, "Actually, I'm here just to say a few things briefly. I will leave as soon as I say it. It won't disturb your party."

"Okay, okay, please speak." Arnold had to sit down obediently and handed the podium to Colin.

Of course, Colin would not be polite, and said loudly: "Everyone, you must have already heard from Oliver, and the St. Hilde family is going to collect food from you by way of loan.

I know that you are hoarding a large amount of food in your hands, and you are ready to make a fortune taking advantage of the rising food prices of this famine.

To tell you the truth, I originally planned to levy these grains free of charge. "

As soon as this remark came out, the audience was in an uproar.

But immediately, a group of businessmen closed their mouths under Colin's cold gaze.

They know that they are really going to irritate the one in front of them, and that "gratuitous expropriation" will really happen.

After all, the entire Northern Territory is now in the hands of the Colin and his wife, and the major lords dare not say anything. What about these businessmen without an army?

Colin caught everyone's reactions one by one, and didn't pay much attention to these businessmen who dared not speak.

By saying this, he just wanted to lower the expectations of business people so that the subsequent measures would not cause too much backlash.

"However, the benevolent Lord Duke has compassion and is unwilling to take such extreme measures." Colin pushed Vera out as a good person, and he himself played the role of a villain.

Sure enough, the merchants suddenly praised the Duke of the North.

Colin stretched out his hand to pressure, and the audience immediately calmed down. He continued: "However, don't you want to use this method to make black money. I can tell you frankly that in a few days, I will personally go to the silver Yuecheng purchases grain.

At that time, a large amount of grain will flow into the northern border market like last year, and the price of grain will not rise even if it wants to rise!

Don’t even think about going to the half-elf kingdom to buy food, hoarding and not selling it, because I have reached an agreement with Queen Aisha that the half-elf kingdom’s food will only be sold to the Saint Hild family! "

The businessmen looked at each other and beat their hearts.

However, they still believed Colin's words.

After all, the food of the Half-elf Kingdom was fully packaged by Colin last year, and Queen Aisha also sent the Silver Moon Guard to help Colin guard the Ice Rock City. Therefore, Colin's control over the Half-elf Kingdom is beyond doubt.

Colin looked at the anxious businessmen, his tone of voice was slightly relaxed, and he said:

"So, if you don't want the food you hoarded in your hands to rot in the warehouse, take this opportunity.

This time, the Saint-Hilde family will publicly expropriate food, and everyone who is willing to lend the food to the Saint-Hilde family will receive an equivalent bond. "

Having said that, Colin clapped his hands.

Immediately, a crowd of attendants filed in and distributed the prepared bond templates.

Arnold also got a copy and discovered that this so-called "bond" was made of an unknown material, a bit like papyrus, but thinner, whiter, and smoother.

The paper says the value of the bond, ranging from one pound, five pounds, ten pounds to a thousand pounds, and it also says that the bond's maturity time is three years later and the interest rate is 8% per year.

In fact, this is the bond designed by Colin with reference to the paper money on the earth and used as a shadow currency.

After Colin and others got the bond samples, they emphasized: "Anyone, pay attention. Anyone who holds these bonds and goes to the Lion's Roar on the maturity date can exchange them for equivalent grains. Of course, it's also There will be interest accrued during this period."

The businessmen took these bonds and began to whisper and discuss.

Paper money has not yet appeared in this world, so when businessmen look at these bonds of various denominations, they will not think of the true function of this thing.

They are only attracted by the 8% annual interest rate and feel that it is indeed a cost-effective business.

If food prices in the north continue to rise, the merchants will of course not lend their food to the St. Hild family, but Colin has made it clear that he is determined to stabilize food prices, and of course the merchants will begin to calculate the gains and losses.

Instead of betting that the St. Hild family can't control the price of food, it is better to exchange the food for these bonds.

At least this is a transaction that makes a profit without losing money.

If you continue to hold the grain and fight against the St. Hild family, that will definitely offend the murderous Earl Anglia in front of you.

They all knew that the title of the young earl was not obtained by marrying the Duke of the North, but was really killed by one shot. The road to promotion was paved with blood and corpses.

"Lord Earl, please rest assured, our Northwind Chamber of Commerce will definitely take out all the grain in exchange for bonds!" Arnold was the first to say that this guy is only thinking about how to please Colin now, not to mention that this transaction does not actually allow He is at a loss.

With Arnold taking the lead, the rest of the merchants also opened their voices and expressed their willingness to lend food to the Saint Hild family.

Colin nodded in satisfaction. In fact, he knew that although it was profitable, it was impossible for these merchants to really take out all the food they had stored. It is estimated that many people wanted to take out some of them and then watch the development of the situation. , And then consider whether to continue to exchange grain for bonds.

However, Colin is not in a hurry. The establishment of bond credit also requires a process.

It is believed that after the first batch of bonds are due and successfully exchanged, businessmen will believe and recognize the value of these bonds, and eventually equate bonds with food.

At that time, the new agricultural and pastoral system of the Sonny Bachelor will gradually be rolled out, and the demand for currency in the market will also surge. Colin can also take the opportunity to announce that bonds can be used to pay taxes this way. , It will make the bond truly have the function of currency.

Moreover, business people will gradually find that these paper bonds are actually easier to carry and trade, so they are more willing to accept bonds as an alternative currency.

In this way, the St. Hilde family also possesses substantial coinage rights.

Perhaps the royal family will gradually react, but by then, the Northern Territory has fully developed, and Colin will no longer need to care about the royal family's questioning.

Thinking of this, Colin felt more comfortable, and said again:

"Thank you for your support! Next, I will talk about the second thing."

He looked around the court for a week, and finally stopped his eyes on Arnold's face, smiling and saying:

"I am going to form a North Border Foreign Trade Company. If you want, you can contribute funds to participate."